Katherine Kelly will be leaving Coronation Street fairly soon, and I never thought I'd say this, but I'll be sorry to see her go.
I really liked her as Kelly Crabtree's skanky mate, but quickly went off the character when she got involved firstly with "Royston and 'Ayles" and then "Stevie-babes". The Corrie team seemed determined to "rehabilitate" Becky, but sadly they went way OTT. It was completely overdone, cloying and nauseating, and in my opinion a total mistake. For quite a spell, Becky seemed to dominate every episode and had me literally reaching for the remote. And the "Kylie and Maxie" storyline was awful, awful, awful.
However, I've warmed to her again since she split up with Steve, left the Rovers and started working in the factory. Her scenes with Kirk have been funny, and her scenes with Tracy Barlow would be good, if (I'm sorry to say it) Kate Ford was a better actress. She's also gelling well with Sylvia, Roy's mum. All in all, I'm finding the character much more interesting and watchable now, just as she's leaving! I'd very much like to see Becky with a juicy exit story, because Katherine Kelly really does deserve it.
Anyone else have a view on this?
I've never not enjoyed Becky and always found her character evolution interesting to watch. From skanky Becky to a more mature woman who could still go off like a loose cannon. Now Becky has come down to earth with a painful thud and she seems to realize that going off on one isn't going to do her any good anymore. I think she also has come to believe in herself a lot more and that's because of the faith Roy and Hayley had in her and later, through the love Steve had. But in the end, that love wasn't enough. I think she realizes she can only rely on herself. I also liked the Kylie storyline. Recently, yes she's been interesting to watch as she enters yet another chapter of her life, one that we know is going to take her away from the street.
ReplyDeleteI said the same thing last week, Becky is so much better without Steve and those ridiculous stories. Even last night, "Rebecca" was a bright moment sandwiched between moldy Chris and Tracy. Down to earth, saddened but calm, thinking before doing, and doing something more than shallowly luring away a lover, Katherine Kelly is really carrying off this Becky well. I'll miss her/them, too.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked Becky, even when she was given some truly horrific stories (buying Max? REALLY?). I just pray that they don't have yet *another* story with Tracy driving away another one of Steve's wives, and the story about Becky pushing Tracy down the stairs is fake. Would like to see Becky leaving on her own terms, not because of panto villian Tracy...
ReplyDeleteRebecca in TO
I don't think Becky will hurt Tracy but i could see it being an accident or i could see it being a fall with Tracy blaming Becky as a big fat lie.
ReplyDeleteI find Katherine's portrayal deeply moving when she underplays Becky, as she has done of late; but that's largely because we know Becky to be a firework of a character who has really learned painful life-lessons. I will miss Becky a lot.
ReplyDeleteI hated Becky's character when she first came to the street..the way she stitched Kelly C (with the legs) up and she ended up with a police record for theft. Then, I started liking her when she got together with Haley and Roy. I was not keen with the pairing up of her and Steve M and then when she spiraled into a mad shrew..I hated her even more. Now that her character is more like the Becky I liked, she's leaving and Steve (idiot) is with Tracy. The writers totally ruined this character IMO.
ReplyDeleteI've always like Katherine Kelly and think she's a terrific actress. It may be that her natural tendency is to act as though she's on stage (she's a Shakespearean actress, after all) but it's the director's job to rein her in. The opposite happened and Becky became a nightmare. The slobbering over Steve was stomach-churning. She's wonderful when her eyes show the turmoil she's going through.
ReplyDeleteAlthough she's calm now, isn't the story about Tracy's miscarriage that she provokes Becky into a rage which is then thought to be the cause? Tracy, in fact, miscarries before this but Becky gets the blame and Steve tells her to leave town. Now I know this is fiction and the whole thing is fabricated but still ... If that story line is as reported, that really takes the biscuit as the most vile, unnecessary path to follow. No, Mr P C, I won't tune in and scream at the telly. I shall turn off for a couple of episodes.
I've always liked Becky (and Steve) and l liked the idea of them as a couple, It just never quite worked for me. I think it was the lack of build up to them getting together that let them down as a pairing.
ReplyDeleteI do remember at one point Steve looking after Becky and returning her to Roy's when I thought they could be starting something between them. Then Steve lied for her in court and they were just slung together, which didn't really do them justice.
Becky is epic except when she's all depressed and with Steve
ReplyDeleteKate Ford the better actress? You must be joking! It is no surprise that Katherine Kelly is going straight from Wetherfield to London's National Theatre to star in Sheridan's She Stoops to Conquer - bad actors just don't go there!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, dhvinyl, but I'd imagine it's Oliver Goldsmith's 'She Stoops to Conquer'. I don't believe Sherridan ever had a hand in it. Sorry, I'm being pedantic - I actually totally agree with you re. KK's acting credentials.
ReplyDeleteWould also like to say though that I've never foubnd Katherine's acting to be 'over the top' - she is playing an over the top character, and there genuinely are poeople as lound and 'lange' as Becky in real life. I've known several. That is the character she has played - but the writers turing Becs into an hysterical merry-go-round has caused the character to become (in a non-psychological sense) unbalanced. I look forward to seeing her Kate Hardcastle.
I'm enjoying Becky now more then ever. Her scenes with Sylvia and Kirk are brilliant and she just fits in with the factory crowd. Too bad this hadn't happened long ago. Hopefully she will get in one last stinging retort to evil Tracy before she leaves for good....
ReplyDeleteSeapenguin indicated that Kate Ford WASN'T as good an actress (i.e. if she WERE a better actress the scenes would be better because Katherine Kelly WAS (is) a good actress). Reread that line...
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